Power outage irks Fan residents

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RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) -- On one of the hottest days of the year so far, about 650 homes lost power in the Fan Thursday morning.

It was restored after about an hour and a half, but with summer-like weather barreling in, CBS 6 asked Dominion Virginia Power what you can do to save money while staying cool.

"As the temperature does get warmer, it's a good idea to try to remember when you're outside feeling good, you want to feel good inside too," said Karl Neddenien with Dominion.

Dominion urges their customers to inspect their cooling system in their house now and routinely check it throughout the summer, not just at the beginning. Cooling systems are a major contributor to energy use, according to Dominion.

Here are some other useful ideas for saving money while stay cool:

Set the thermostat in your home at 78 degrees for maximum efficency

Use ceiling fans to make it cool; make sure they set to blow air downward

Replace old, inefficient refrigerators

Replace air filters in cooling system monthly

Keep area around outside air conditioning units clear of weeds and debris

Neddenien said Dominion crews are working year round on both routine and scheduled maintenance to keep their energy grid working effectively.